Category: Success

Each and every day we make thousands of decisions in which we are affected by. What to eat. Who to spend time with. Even what we decide to focus on plays a role on our lives. In a sense, decisions are the driving forces that control every outcome we have in life. Want to become a better decision maker? Let's give you some steps to harness this powerful tool.

Focus

We are a product of our imagination and will become what we think about. Furthermore, the idea of controlling focus can help you to make better decisions moment to moment allowing for in increase in quality of life.

Making the decision to focus on something that makes you happy will put you into a far better state of mind than if you were to think of something that make you upset. Most of the time, people tend to zero in on all the negative aspects of life and miss out on all life truly has to offer.

For example, say you have a big Algebra exam coming up. You know you don't want to study but in order to get a good grade on the test you must. In this particular scenario there are two outcomes. One being study for the test and most likely get a passing grade or two blow it off and hope not to fail. Now in the back of your head you know what the RIGHT decision is but most likely your focusing on how much you don't want to study. This is the most influential mistake when making a decision.

So the next time you are deciding whether or not to study for an exam remember to focus on the outcomes. Take a second to think, you will be amazed how simple a decision can be if you just focus.

Knowledge

What the best way to make better decisions? Learn from the wrong ones you have made in the past.

Nobody is perfect and realizing that is the first step in transforming the way you make decisions. You will not always make the right choice but over a period of time making decision after decision, you will begin to see a substantial change.

Gain knowledge from past challenges and successes. Use these to your advantage by applying everything you've learned into future decisions. In other words, a person who learns from their mistakes has a far better chance of improving it next time around than a person that doesn't.

Let's go back to the exam example I used before. Say you go into class and take the exam. Afterward, you realize that it was extremely hard and if you would've studied you would've done better. Right here you are faced with another choice to make. Whether to learn from your failure or to blow it off like it never happened. Most likely, the one who realizes what they did wrong will correct that mistake in the future. But the ones who don't realize what they've done will probably fail again.

What decision would you make?

Growth

The last step in improve decision making is to simply grow from past decisions. In order to grow you must first understand what your mistake was. When you can do this, you'll be able to make better decisions down the line.

How does one master decision making? It's actually very simple. Just like a muscle, if we workout it will get bigger and stronger. The same goes for our decision making. The more decisions you make, the better you will get at making the right ones.

If you want a change in your life, first master the decisions you make every day. They are like a roadmap we create for ourself and will determine where we end up.

Choose to take control of your decisions and watch your life transform before your eyes. However, if you continue to make irrational decisions, beware where you'll end up.

According to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Strangely enough, all the struggles, challenges, and problems that we face are here to help us rather than break us down. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at some of the most successful people on the planet and what they were forced to overcome.

Take Thomas Edison for example. While attempting to create the light bulb, he was faced with failure a thousand times. After the hundredth time, most people would have given up but not Edison. Day and night he worked until finally the worlds first electric light bulb was created.

His response to previous failures, “I have not failed, I’ve just found 1,000 ways that it won’t work.” Now, this is one man that against all odds focused on finding a way to overcome and in doing gave light to the world.

Both our failed and successful attempts are what shapes us in the future. Furthermore, the meaning we have for every failure or success directly affects the outcome we have. When the Wright brothers attempted to fly a plane everyone called them insane. Instead of giving up they persisted to make their dream a reality. After every failed design, rather than focus on what they did wrong, they asked themselves what they could do better. Slowly but surely they developed the Wright Flyer I which was a major success.

Today, eight million people, every day, fly all around the world thanks to the perseverance of these two brothers.

No matter where you were then or where you are now, just remember that you have the choice to change where you will go. Just like eighteenth-century poet William Ernest Henley once said,”I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Don’t allow circumstances or other people to define the life you live; YOU create your own.

Socrates once said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Although it may sound simple there is a deeper meaning that lies beneath these words of wisdom.

In each moment we are making a decision on what to focus on which will determine what we believe and how we act. Let’s use baseball for example. A pop fly is hit to center field and like several times before the outfielder gets into position to make an easy play. Just before the ball begins to drop the sun blinds the player which affects his ability to make the catch. By the time he recovers the ball is lying on the ground and two base runner have score putting the other team ahead by one. The inning ends and the players return to the dug out ready to reclaim the lead. Meanwhile, the center fielder continues to focus on how he screwed up such an easy out. Too much in life people focus solely on all that is wrong and focus so little on what they can do to correct the actual mistake. In this situation, the baseball player is choosing to focus on the fact that because he dropped the ball and because of that they lost the lead. Yes, all of this is true, but what he should be focusing on is the next opportunity to get his team back in the lead. By doing this he understands what he did wrong while also focusing on ways he can help his team get back into the game. Ironically, he is the next batter up to hit. Besides the fact of what just happened, he steps up to the plate confidently ready to make a big play. With a runner on first base, the pitcher throws the ball. CRACK! He crushes the ball into left field

soaring over the outfield wall.

The home run puts them in lead and they win the game. This is the result of him making the decision to focus on the present rather than in the past.

It doesn’t just apply to baseball, this concept pertains to every aspect of life. Whether it’s choosing to focus on a certain mood, emotion, or relationship all of it contributes to our actions. Furthermore, how we act throughout our life determines the quality of lifestyle that is adopted. Continuing to focus only on the bad will cause frustration which flows into anger leading to depression.

On the other hand, focusing on the deeper meaning in any particular situation and then using that to move forward will create more opportunities to succeed.

In a sense, we are what we believe we are. There nothing in the world that is more powerful than the internal focus of one’s mind which if mastered can open doors you’ve never imagined. The idea of choosing what to focus on may seem quite easy but the complexity comes from within. As a matter of fact, the level of difficulty it takes to learn internal focus is entirely up to what we want it to be.

Above all, do not get confused with the idea that there is a specific way that all people should focus or think. In my opinion, I believe that everyone has their own way of thinking and dealing with circumstances in their life. For some, it may be helping the poor. For others, it could be violence.

Now, I DO NOT believe violence is the way to solve a problem but it doesn’t matter what I believe, people will act out of violence no matter what.

Ultimately, I don’t have to accept the lifestyle of others but what I must do is respect the reality they have decided to live in. Meaning the way we choose to live each day of our lives doesn’t have to be determined by those of another. At the same time, being able to respect someone else’s lifestyle allows one to perceive how they want to live their own life and how they do not. This is known as bridging realities. Bridging the reality between two individuals lets us take the time to reinvent beliefs while also adopting new standards for the way of life we wish to live.

Above all, it’s the ability to bounce back after a failure that shows a person’s true character. Roy T. Bennett said it best, “the one who falls and gets back up is much stronger than the one who never tried at all. Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.” That being said, if you haven’t taken anything away from this just remember one thing. The single most important decision we are constantly making is what to focus on. Choosing to master the mind can allow us to begin living the life we’ve always dreamed. The faster you can learn internal focus the faster you can change your life.

In Ways to Deal with Emotions I laid out the steps that a person can take to find the true meaning behind their emotions. However, putting these steps into action is just the first part in being a success. Now that you have your emotions in check I can begin explaining the “Secret to Success”

When traveling to a certain destination it always helps to have directions on how to get there. What happens when you don’t know the directions? You end up getting lost. The same goes for life but on a much larger scale. With that being said the first part to the “Secret to Success” is knowing the road ahead. Seeing what is in front of you will give you the ultimate advantage of anticipation. A wise man once said, “You can’t anticipate and lead unless you first lead yourself.” When someone anticipates the obstacles that arise in their life they can begin to put a plan into place allowing them to live the life they have always dreamed.

We can’t read minds or predict the future so how can we anticipate? The answer is engagement. Being fully engaged will work wonders in your life. When talking of engagement I’m referring to how you go through your daily activities. How do you interact with others? Are you fully engaged, partially engaged, or not engaged at all? When someone is fully engaged there is no limit to what they can do. But when someone is partially engaged or not engaged at all, the result is slim to none.

A study shows that 13% of all employees worldwide are engaged at work. That means only one-eighth of the global workforce is engaged in their daily activity. That leaves the 87% of the global workforce disengaged. Remember when someone is fully engaged the results are limitless. But a person that is partially engaged or disengaged gets little to no results at all. Something needs to change.

The problem is we live in a society where there is enough knowledge but what people are really searching for is wisdom. One way to put that knowledge into action is to get a competitive edge. Learning the Science of Achievement (going from where you are to your goal) is a must when trying to achieve any goal you have set. What is your goal? How will you get there? Engagement is the key to getting all your needs met. When you can meet the needs of someone else, your needs can be met just as easy.

Success without fulfillment is failure. Being fulfilled isn’t something anyone else can help you with the only person capable of giving you fulfillment is yourself. Look for those people, events, or whatever else truly sticks out to you. Those will be the stepping stones to living a successful life.

Most people would tell you that their biggest fear is failing. But my biggest fear isn’t failing, it’s regret.

We all want to be successful but most of us aren’t willing to put the effort into achieving it. Success doesn’t come to the ones who sit back and wait for it. It comes to those willing to strive day in and day out to achieve the goals they set out to accomplish. The work that these few individuals put in isn’t seen by society but is done behind closed doors.

However, before you can gain success you must understand three specific ideas about yourself.

The first idea that you must master is how you perceive the things that fill your life. Your perception on life will, in turn, create the life that you ultimately will live. The distraction of being someone else blinds you from the realization of who you truly are. One of the most important things to understand is that the people we surround ourselves with are who we WILL become. When you choose positive people and ideas to surround yourself with then your mind can focus solely on YOU.

Gaining control of perception will then lead you to discover your passion.

When trying to finding passion best advice I could give is when you do find that one thing that peaks your interest don’t give up on it, run with it. Don’t let anyone influence what you do with your life it’s not theirs, it’s YOURS. When you find what truly drives you every day, master that skill and don’t stop for anything in the way. Find out where you are going by mapping out how you will get there. A ship cannot get to its destination without the direction from the captain. But when the captain knows where the ship will go almost a hundred time out of a hundred the ship will reach its destination successfully.

Soon passion becomes a purpose.

Purpose outweighs every single obstacle in your life. How is this possible you may ask?

It’s simple when you find your purpose the impossible becomes possible. By doing this you can turn your dreams into reality and have a lasting impact on the world by just following your heart.

What’s your purpose?

Whether it’s Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, or Michael Jordan we all have people we look up to in our life. Everyone is so interested in trying to be someone else, they forget to just be themselves.

Be determined to find the perception, passion, and purpose in your own life and maybe one day someone will be looking up to YOU.